When the Universe Might Have Other Plans
by LibbyLou22
Summary: They had a plan. But what if the universe had other ideas? Established Slibbs
1. Chapter1

**I am new to the fandom and have never written for characters of this complexity. **

**Please share any ideas you have on how you write these two. I'm really nervous I'll blunder this up. **

**This might just be a one shot. I haven't decided. **

They hadn't ment for this to happen.

She'd fanaticized about it.

So had he.

Nether had been disappointed when she'd never left after Christmas. Or when they'd finally had the "talk" after Jethro had a brush with death via the usual crazy man with a gun.

The talk. It changed everything, but at the same time nothing at all. A domestic partnership.

Jack had absolutely no desire to be part the of "Gibbs Wives Club". And Gibbs was anxious to avoid the whole charade altogether.

But they wanted rights to the other. To their home, their things, and if needed control over the other's life. The shooting had given them both the push they needed, because as he filled out a form giving her permissions to make decisions at the last minute in the hospital he realized he could leave her with nothing.

No proof that they'd ever been anything other than coworkers.

So they got a lawyer, Jim, and filled out all the paperwork to make the other their partner in life.

Partner in ever sense of the word, work and life both.

Ever practical, the duo filed their paperwork with NCIS and waited. Leon nearly blew a gasket. But only because he was her friend.

No one else seemed to upset by the news though shock, might be a good way to describe many reactions.

After everyone realized nothing had changed the world moved on.

That piece of paper comforted her every time he went out to chase down a suspect. It comforted him too.

They never expected he'd be the one to need it.

They'd come off a pretty rough case and when they made it home Jack was ready to collapse. But the case had reminded her partner of his Shannon and Kelly's demise. So she asked him to shower with her, something they'd done to comfort the other many times before.

But as he ran his hands over her breasts in the shower later is world stoped turning.

A lump.

"Sloane."

She spun around, he never called her that outside of work. It was always Jack, sometimes Jacquline, but it was always musical. "Yea?"

Her eyes met his blue ones. He took her hand silently, his hand shaking slightly and brought it to the lump.

"Oh." She whispered.

They'd always joked that he would die first. A morbid joke for sure, but one built on reason and selfless love.

She'd never wanted him to endure that pain again. So she'd been willing to take that pain and make it hers. She loved him enough to let him go first.

But it seemed the universe may have had different ideas.

**Let me know what you think about it via reviews! **

**Leave it as a one shot? Add another chapter or two?**


	2. Chapter2

**Thank you al for the lovely reviews! It really made my day! I honestly was expecting this to not be well received but I'm very glad so many like it. **

**Be warned of a few imbedded flashbacks in this chapter. **

She had watched it happen. The love of her life being shot.

The man she'd been practically living with for the past year, the man who kissed her awake every morning, crumpled to the ground like a damn dancing balloon man with no air left.

A gunman at NCIS. What a thought... She'd normally felt safe there. But now. Well she'd probably never be able to step foot in here again.

She'd refused to leave when she'd had the opportunity because she knew he'd stay. So she silenced her phone, sharing her location and audio with McGee in hopes of providing the team outside with the information they needed to catch the bastard. And then, she'd slipped quickly and quietly down to the evidence room searching for them. Well him, the silver haired fox - north the gunman.

She'd stood in the shadows, Glock in hand and found their location quickly. The man was shouting about evidence he needed destroyed.

Jack wondered briefly if she could talk him down. But as she carefully turned the corner and the love of her life and Gibbs came into view she heard the shot.

She responded automatically, not even fully realizing what had happened.

She'd taken her own shot at the shooter before Gibbs could hit the floor and was at his side quickly. She glanced only briefly to her left to ensure the man was dead.

Blood. His blood, was allover. Seeping from his chest, his strong scar riddled chest. She pulled off her blouse and pressed it to the wound.

"Jethro?"

His blue eyes met her terrified ones. "I never got to tell you." He whispered.

She was barely holding it together, "I know. I know." She let out a sob, "It's probably better this way."

The paramedics and a team of armed men broke their moment.

Jack tried to look hopeful, "Help is here hon. Jus let them help you. Stay with us. Her voice broke as the paramedics pulled her away. "Please."

She followed them without hesitation and no one stoped her.

That is, until they got to the hospital.

There, they stoped her. From seeing him, touching him.

There, she was no one. Just a blood covered violence victim. And in DC that didn't really mean much.

Ducky, his medical proxy signed the forms. And while she loved the little old man dearly, she wanted to be the one making the decisions regarding Jethro's life.

She'd gotten her wish but now, the tables had turned.

The form she'd filled out, the papers she'd signed. They'd meant it to be for Jack. For her to have the rights to him when something happened. Because the realist inside then knew, it wasn't if, it was when. They could have ten days, or ten years. But it was always him who died in their plans. They'd been practical that way. But now, the shoe was on the other foot and that foot as a size 13 men's not a 7 women's.

Gibbs ran a finger down Jack's arm from his position as her personal pillow. He could tell she was deep in thought. "Jack?" He said.

No response. He said it again. And getting no response he said, "Jacqueline."

That always got her attention. She moved from her position on his shoulder to look at him. "Leroy?"

It was a personal joke they'd shared. He didn't remember the start, he just knew that if he used her first name she'd use his. And as much as he pretended not to like it, it made him smile a bit.

"You wanna talk, Jack?"

She looked at him with teary eyes, "I'm scared."

He ran a finger over her tear stained cheeks. "We don't know anything yet."

"The mammogram, ultrasound and MRI didn't say it was benign, they said it was inconclusive. What makes you think the biopsy will be different?" Jack mussed gripping his hand desperately hoping he'd have an answer that would make her feel better.

He didn't.

Jack sighed. "I never thought this would be what caught up to me." She paused, "My mom had it too you know. But I thought with all the crazy crap I've done, that it would be something a little cooler than-" she couldn't say the word cancer, "that." She finally spit out. "I thought perhaps God would spare me - you - this." Her voice quivered.

Gibbs instinctively pulled her close, "Jack-" he started to say. But he stopped short, he didn't have a single thing he could say to her.

Jack looked up into his blue eyes, "Would it be easier if I left? You don't have to be here to watch all this."

Gibbs instinctively tightened his grip on her. "I love you. So no, it's not easier if you just up and leave me to do this on your own. We are partners Jack."

Jack smiled slightly, "I love you too Jethro." She paused, "You know I don't give anything up without a fight."

Gibbs nodded, remembering when he'd pushed her away, briefly after the shooting. It had done wonders to convince the team that nothing had ever happened, their secret having almost been reveled by their almost love confession over audio to the team.

But the war they'd waged on one another when he'd returned to work made everyone convinced otherwise.

They'd fought about work things at work, and then they'd go home and fight for real. Because she'd refused to leave. She'd staged a sit in, one she was determined to win.

One night, as they made dinner quietly, he had cut himself with a knife slicing a pice of meat.

It was a small cut, but the sight of his blood sent Jack into a full blown panic attack.

The sight of her sobbing on the floor of the kitchen scared the stubbornness right out of Gibbs and he knelt beside her wrapping her in a hug. "I'm ok." He'd whispered. "I'm here and I love you." It was the first time he'd said those words in a long time, and it had been even longer since jack had heard them directed at her from a man who wasn't her father.

Jack had opened up to him then. Pouring out all the pent up feelings from the shooting and his time in the hospital.

And right there on the kitchen floor, Leroy Jethro Gibbs had proposed.

Jack has been stunned. But when she found words, she turned him down. "I don't want to be another Mrs. Gibbs." She'd said, "I want to do something, that gives us the legal right to one another, but I don't want some bullshit marriage. I want to be your partner not just another wife.

Gibbs smiled fondly at the memory. He was thankful to have her in his life no mater how long it might be for.

He pulled her close and stroked her hair in an attempt to lull her to sleep. He'd take whatever time he could get with her.

**Please let me know your thoughts. **


	3. Three

The call came at 1345 on a Wednesday in the middle of a case.

Gibbs and his team where out following leads and she was trying to understand their victim and his less than ideal dating habits.

The nurse asked her to come in, but Jack knew only bad-news was delivered in person. "I'm trying to catch a killer here. I don't have time to come to the office. Put Dr. West on the phone please." She demanded.

The nurse complied and minutes later she was speaking with Dr. West about a Late Stage 3B diagonals. He recommended they start Chemotherapy the week after next followed by a double mastectomy and radiation.

He made her another referral and she made an appointment for Chemotherapy on autopilot. And suddenly between a title nine training and a task force meeting she had a hour and a half long chemotherapy treatment for next Thursday.

When she finally set the phone down and sunk back into her chair she felt mentally and physically exhausted.

Her partially open door opened just as she was contemplating a nap on the couch and looked up expecting a certain silver headed man she wasn't quite ready to face.

But instead she found herself looking at Leon. "You look disappointed to see me Jack." He teased.

Jack tried to roll her eyes, but his witty banter did little to help her mood. "I thought you where Jethro. I need to talk to him." She mumbled.

Leon nodded, "I was hoping you knew where he was. I want an update on this case. The media is allover me."

Jack shook her head. "He didn't come home last night, he's out chasing a lead. I got a text from him saying he'd miss our coffee date but that was a few hours ago."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Gibbs texts?"

Jack smiled slightly, "Only me." She smiled a bit more and gave him a sly look, "I make it worth his while."

Leon made a face but laughed none the less. Despite how difficult the two agents where to work with sometimes, they happened to be his good friends and their mutual shared happiness made him happy. "I don't need details. I think that would be crossing a title nine boundary I couldn't uncross."

Jack's face fell suddenly, "Speaking of title nine, I'm probably gonna have to miss that training next week."

Leon shook his head, "Jack, it's one of the requirements for your employment now that you are married to Gibbs. You out rank him in the chain of command here and HR needs to check the box that says you understand sexual harassment."

"It's a partnership Leon." She reminded him for the millionth time. "And that's not why I can't go." She paused, "I have a chemotherapy treatment that day."

Leon looked at her in surprise. "Jack?"

"I found a lump." She laughed slightly, "Well technically Jethro did. But, um well it turns out that it's cancer." She wiped away tears. "So I'm gonna need to skip that title nine training in the morning so I can mentally prepare."

"When did you find out?"

"About 10 minutes ago." She whispered.

His brain struggled for a moment to process. "Gibbs doesn't know?" He finally stuttered.

Jacks eyes widened and she stood up in a panic. "No. I mean he knows about the tests. But. God. Leon I haven't had a chance to process this. It was all hypotheticals but now, now we have to face the music." She looked back at him, "We have a plan, for when something happens to Jethro. We made a plan because it's not really a matter of if we die, it's when. But statistically he would be first. And I was fine with that. We did not prepare for this possibility."

Leon stood up and caught her wrist. "Jack, take a minute. Take a breath."

She froze, "I have so much research to do. I don't know anything about chemo. I'm not that kind of doctor."

"Jack, stop. You start by telling Gibbs." Leon said.

Jack wanted to protest that he was on a case and more or less MIA but at that moment he burst through the door. "Hey Jack, do you-" the question about a suspect died on his lips. "Jack?"

Her eyes looked around wildly and caught his. He knew instantly she'd gotten the call. "We're taken a few personal days Leon."

He didn't ask and no one argued.

He wordlessly grabbed her purse and coat, helping her put her arm through each sleeve.

Leon nodded, "Take all the time you need." He opened the door for the pair, "Call, if you need me."

Gibbs steered her towards the elevator. "Tim you are in charge." He called down to the confused agents in the bullpen.

"Jethro." She protested as they got in the elevator. "You've got an active case you can't just leave."

"Already did." He responded pulling her close. "You mean more than any case." He whispered.

Jack moved away from him and flipped the switch to stop the elevator. "It's not good. Late Stage 3."

Gibbs nodded, "That's not stage 4."

She nodded, "It's aggressive though. So I start chemo next Thursday."

Gibbs nodded, "I'll be there." He said hoping to reassure her.

She kissed his cheek. "You are sweet." She paused, "I don't know what to do now. Do I google things? cry? Eat?"

"Let's start with just going home Jack."

She nodded and flipped the switch before settling back into his embrace.

"You'll fight this Jack." He stated as the elevator descended.

She nodded. She was nothing if not a fighter. But Cancer wasn't the type of enemy she could psychoanalyze, shoot, or outwit.

**Thanks for reading! Hope you are enjoying! **


	4. Four

They spent the weekend together, barely leaving bed. Jack somehow felt that if she could hide away with him, reality wouldn't hit.

But Monday came and despite Gibbs offering to play hookey with her she decided it was better to go in and work rather than stay home and dwell.

He held her hand as they took the elevator up from the underground parking structure. The elevator stoped and Tim stepped in.

Normally they would have dropped all physical contact and stepped away. Neither of them where particularly comfortable with PDA... But Gibbs sensed that she needed his strength and held tightly to Jack's hand.

Tim wanted to ask if everything was ok. After all Gibbs never left in the middle of a case and Jack wasn't much different. But their faces where unreadable and Tim didn't want to step into anything.

-NCIS-

Pretending things where normal worked pretty well for Jack. That is until she left the office late Wednesday all alone. Gibbs was off catching a killer and she had to go home alone to prep for her first chemo appointment.

She loitered around the basement for a while drinking in the smell and remembering fondly the memories of the Christmas they'd gotten together.

She glanced at the boat and wondered briefly if she'd be another boat on Jethro's list.

A sound from upstairs startled her and she took the spare Glock from under the workbench. She crept up the stares silently and peaked around the corner to find Gibbs riffling through the fridge.

"Jesus." She sighed, "I thought you'd come here to kill me or something."

Gibbs spun around in surprise. "I though you where in bed."

She shrugged, "Can't sleep."

"Working on my boat without me?"

She grinned, "Never."

She gravitated towards him. Pulling him into a kiss. She paused sadly, "Are you just here for dinner?"

He shook his head, "Here for you."

She looked up shocked, "You left Tim in charge?"

"I'm going with you tomorrow."

She tried to blink back tears. The relief she felt at having him and the thought of him taking the time for her was overwhelming and suddenly she was bawling into his chest.

She'd spent most of her life alone. And now she had a partner wiling to be there for the worst part, or possibly even the end of her life.

-NCIS-

Gibbs let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Jack took off her robe to expose his favorite black lace lingerie. "Jacqueline-"

Her heart lept, as it always did, at the sound of her first name on his lips. She knew what he was going to say though. She knew he was worried about her first round of chemo in the morning. He'd want her to rest. But she wanted one last night with him before the cancer, chemo, mastectomy and all the other shit ruined their sex life.

She moved toward him and kissed him swiftly. "I need you Jethro."

That was all it took. His hands pulled her close, desperate to touch as much of her perfect skin as possible.

They spent the night wrapped up in each other and after they had exhausted themselves physically Jack wondered if they'd ever get that again. Even if she lived would it be the same?

"Penny for your thoughts?" Gibbs asked softly looking into her eyes. The full moon and the hall light they hadn't turned off in their haste illuminated her features.

Jack let out a sob. "I don't want to die."

Gibbs felt a tear slide down his own cheek as he pulled her close. He wanted to say she'd be fine. Not to worry. But what did he know? His first love and family had been ripped from him, why wouldn't that happen again?

The universe was a tricky bastard.

-NCIS-

They arrived bright and early at the hospital the next morning and Jack found herself waiting restlessly for the nurse to bring her drugs in. Other patents dosed or played on their phones all around her as if nothing terrible was happening to them.

Gibbs could see her spiraling, glancing around he saw a table filled with games. "Scrabble?" He asked with a pointed look at the table.

Jack smiled slightly, "Honey, I will slay you at Scrabble."

Three hours and her first chemo treatment later she'd lost a round of Scrabble to a surprisingly word savvy Jethro Gibbs.

As they left the room he took her hand and Jack paused slightly, he wasn't much for PDA and she teared up as she squeezed his hand in thanks.

As the rounded the corner a blond woman caught Jacks eye and her breath hitched as they made eye contact. "Faith." She whispered.

Faith smiled uncomfortably, "Jack."

Jack held tight to Gibbs hand, "You remember Jethro Gibbs?"

The younger blond nodded, "Nice to see you again agent Gibbs." Her eyes wandered to the wing they had exited.

Jack watched her body language, "Only stage 3." She said quietly, "My mother had it though, so it might be smart to keep an eye out. Seems it's hereditary."

Faith paled, "I'm sorry." She fiddled with her badge, "I'm sorry I've got to get back to work." She departed awkwardly.

Jack suddenly felt sick and it had nothing to do with the chemo.


	5. Five

**My goal was for this to be short. Like three chapters. But it has a mind of its own.**

**I'm running out of time to finish this before the holidays so I made the decision to finish it up now and later if it's desired, I might do some companion story's about how they got together and moments in their lives together. **

**I've never written anything like this so please be kind.**

After the run in with Faith, Jack vowed to change her relationship with her daughter. To connect. And over the next year they did.

In fact by Christmas, just two months after her mastectomy she and Gibbs were preparing to host Christmas.

He'd gotten a tree, she was making a ham. And she'd gotten hair extensions.

The chemo had thinned her hair but she hadn't lost it all. But the extensions added a level of confidence she needed to host Faith, her husband and her two young kids.

They where celebrating; Christmas, her and Faith's new relationship and most importantly the completion of another, and hopefully final round, of chemo.

Jack smiled as she stepped into the snowy wonderland to grab the mail. Flipping through the bills she closed the door with a sigh. Enjoying the warmth of the home against the blustery outdoors.

"Jethro you got a package." She called setting it on the table.

"Don't open it!" He called rushing into the kitchen. "McGee helped me order some Christmas gifts online this year." He explained as her confused expression made her eyebrows knit together.

"Out!" He waved her away before pulling out his knife.

The return address indicated that it was actually Tony who sent the package and Gibbs called out to her to tell her to come back as the knife slit into the box.

A plume of white dust filled the air as she reached his shoulder and they where both too shocked to express any form of expletive.

It wasn't Tony who sent the package, and while the team would track down the senders, the two of them would never know.

Their organs where failing within a few hours.

Time was a blur after that. Spent in a hospital room as their hours together dwindled. Calmly, the pair said their goodbyes to friends and family and got their affairs in order. They'd both faced death too many times to count and at the end it seemed a relief to go out together.

They wouldn't sit through a funeral for the other and go back to living a sad empty life.

As they lay in bed during their second night, their final night, in an extra large hospital bed Ducky had procured, Jack suddenly found herself marveling at the universes plan.

"This worked out rather well." She whispered.

He raised an eyebrow, "This isn't exactly a picnic Jack." He looked her over. Her compromised imunesystem had taken it hard. She'd been exposed to much less than him but she'd already deteriorated more, requiring significant oxygen and fluids.

She laid her head on his chest. "We all die eventually Jethro. I spent most of my life alone. But here in the end, it seems worth it for the time I got to spend with you." She smiled, "Besides, I have cancer, I was dying anyway. I'm well prepared for this."

Gibbs snorted, "Always one for the bright side Jacqueline."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I hate the thought of you dieing but I'm so glad I don't have to do it alone."

"We are partners." He stated.

She smiled at the romantically morbid thought. Then after some silence she looked into his eyes, "I am scared." She finally admitted.

"Me too." He whispered.

"It's funny, we made plans for one of us to have to live without the other. Lots of plans but that's not gonna happen." She laughed, "We wasted all that money on a lawyer." She muttered.

He chucked, kissing her head. "Worth it."

"I love you." She whispered sleepily.

"I love you too." He whispered back.

Moments later she was asleep and he found himself smiling.

He'd found something he'd never expected to have again. And while everyone else around them was so incredibly upset, the two of them found the situation to be pretty alright.

Of all the ways to go, this was a pretty good one. A bit slow and drawn out for his taste, but it gave him - them - time.

He'd known the day she'd blown into his home in a hurricane that he'd love her till the end of his days. He just hadn't been ready to admit it at the time.

He spent the rest of the night watching her. Reminiscing about all the time he'd been so fortunate to have with her. All the moments she'd woken up with messy hair, the time she'd puked in his truck after chemo, the unbelievable amount of sugar that she went through. It was all wonderful.

He'd lived a good life before her. But she made it wonderful.

They had planned for him to die first, and he did by some miracle. But she followed behind very quickly.

The universe did indeed have other plans for them.

She wasn't meant to greave his death. And he wasn't meant to grieve hers.

Because the universe felt it cruel to leave one in this world without the other.

**Thanks for reading! **


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